1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sealing and attachment system and method of using same for a roof, and more specifically for a sealing and attachment system and method for hips and ridges of a roof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Roof tiles are widely used as roof coverings on pitched roof decks in various parts of this country as well as in other parts of the world. Roof tiles are extremely durable and provide significant aesthetic and decorative effects to the structures to which they are applied. Roof tiles as described herein may be made of cementitious materials and also ceramic, brick, stone, clay, plastic, wood, metal, rubber or bituminous materials.
Pitched roofs come in a few basic styles that are particularly relevant to the present invention. A duo-pitched roof has two sloping sides joined along the top with end vertical walls called a gable end. This is probably the most common form of pitched roof. When the end of the roof is also sloping it is termed hipped. When two sections of roof meet at an angle, such as a right angle, the junction between the two roof sections is termed a valley.
A typical pitched tile roofing system includes sheets of plywood nailed to the truss rafters to form a roof deck. The pitched roof deck is overlaid with a roof substrate made of a waterproofing material. Typically, the waterproofing material forming the roof substrate is asphalt, tar, or one or more plies of felt attached to the pitched roof deck. The felt is typically attached to the pitched roof deck by nails and/or adhesive. Felt is generally made of wood pulp and rag or of asbestos, polyester or glass fibers.
Installation of the roof tiles begins along the lower edge of the pitched roof deck and continues until reaching the apex of the roof. At the apex of the roof and along the hip, the roof tiles adjacent the apex or hip on each roof plane are covered by a row of half-round or angled ridge or hip tiles.
The areas between adjoining hip and ridge roof planes are typically the most troublesome areas from a performance standpoint. These areas must be sealed to prevent the infiltration of wind-driven rain, hail or snow. In most applications, a watertight seal joining the two courses of tiles between the roof planes has to be formed. Some common techniques to seal adjoining hip and ridge planes are by the use of mortar, self-adhered roll products or preformed plastic or metal strips. The plastic or metal strips do not completely seal the hip and ridge area. The self-adhered roll products may perform somewhat better than the plastic or metal strips; however, the roll products require additional mechanical attachment to secure the hip and ridge accessories to the structure. The mechanical attachment typically comprises nails or screws in the roof deck forming yet additional possible leak paths. Filling the area in with mortar will temporarily seal the hip and ridge areas and may only provide attachment to certain roofing components. The mortar method of attachment is usually temporary and eventually fails after cyclical changes of the weather. Of even greater significance, the mortar will not perform well in areas subject to freeze and thaw conditions.
It is desirable to have a reliable and long-lasting sealing and attachment system for hip and ridge tiles. Furthermore, it is desirable that the method of installation be a simple operation, non-labor intensive, economical and provide a quick bond between the hip or ridge tile and the roof component. Furthermore, the bond should withstand the long-term effects of temperature variations experienced by the roof under normal circumstances.